Signaling apparatus



jazz/02" Ojamzzez Patented Oct. 6, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL MISKELLY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T BRYANrzINo COMPANY, OF

- cIIIcAeo, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Application filed May 7, 1925. Serial No. 28,711.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, SAMUEL MIsKELLY,

Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Signaling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in signaling apparatus andmore especially to a duplex alternating currentdirect current v for operating lamps or other electrical apparatus normally from alternating current with means for automatically throwing the lamp or other apparatus onto a direct current reserve system in the event of failure of the normal alternating current.

My invention is here shown as embodied in apparatus especially designed for operating a lamp adapted for use in railway signaling. It is to be understood, however, that the invention may be used in connection with other electrical apparatus; the showing here being given merely as an example of one of the uses. v V

" A form of'devic'e embodying the features of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing. I y 1 I As shown in the drawing, A indicates an alternating current line adapted to give the .311 normal supply of alternating current-for operating the signal lamp. D indicates a reserve battery adaptedto furnish the cur rent for the reserve circuit. L indicates the signal lamp. fE'indicaites a line source of 36. electrical energy, here shown as 'direct current, connected to the direct current approach relay F. G indicates a relay shunted across the two wires of the line A.

I will now describe the wiring. One of 9, the wires 10 of the line A leads to the contact point 11. The other wire 12 of the line A leads to the connection 05. The wire 22 joins the connection 00 to the pivoted end of the armature bar 60. The wire 21 joins A5 the pivoted end of the armature bar 60 tothe lamp L. A wire 13 connects one side of the battery D to the contact point 14 and a wire 15 connects theother side tothe contact point 16. 17 indicates a wire leading from 5Q the pivoted end of the armature bar 18 to the lamp L.

a citizenof the United States, residing at 12 indicates an alternative wire thatmay be used in'order to produce a somewhat different operation of the device as will be ex plained more in detail hereinafter. Thewire 12 joins the connection as and the contact point 14:. It is to be understood that when the wire 12 is put in as'shown, the wire 22, between the connection w and the armature bar 60 isomitted.

The armature bar 18 is arranged close to the relay G as shown, one end of the same being pivoted, and the other end adapted to oscillate between the contact points 11 and 16. When the normal current is on the line A so that the relay G which is shunted across this line is energized, the armature bar 18 will be held in the position shown in contact with the point 11. In the event of failure of the normal alternating current on the line A, the armature bar 18 falls down into contact with the point 16. The armature bar 18 opening and closing contact with the point 16 maybe designated for convenience as a current failure switch.

Fis'the approach relay which works as follows; The line E furnishing current to operate this relay is connected with any suitable track mechanism, well known in the art, and adapted to be operated by approaching trains. The details of this mechanisin'form no part of the present invention and consequently are not shown or described herein. It will suflice to state that such mechanism is so constructed that upon ap-. prOach of a train when it is desired to have the lamp burn, current flow through. the line or'circ'uit Eis broken permitting the arma ture 60 to drop into contact with the point 14. When a train is not approaching, the

approach relay F isnormally energized holding the armature 60' out of contact with the point 14. The armature bar 60 Opening and closing contact with the point 14 may: be designated for convenience as a train approach switch. A

. When the wire 22 is used and not the wire 12, the lamp will burn contlnuously as long as the alternating current supply A continues, regardless of whether a train is approaching or not. When the wire 12 is used instead of the wire 22, the lamp will burn from the normal alternating current through the line A only when a train is approaching. In the event of failure of the normal alternating current from the line A, the lamp is adapted to be burned by the reserve battery D; but it is to be particularly noted that this battery D will burn the lamp only when a train is approaching, regardless of whether the connection 12 or 22 is used.

It is believed that the operation of the device is clear. Assuming first that the connection 22 is used and the wire 12 omitted. As long as the normal alternating current flows through the circuit A, the armature 18 will be held in contact with the point 1.1 and the lamp L will burn regardless of the position of the armature 60. In the event of failure of the alternating current A, the armature 18 will fall into contact with the point 16, whereupon the lamp L will be burned by current from'the battery D whenever the armature is in contact with the point 14.

Assuming that the wire 12 is used instead of the wire 22. As long as the normal alternating current flows through the line A, the armature 18 will remain in contact with the point 11, but the lamp L will burn only when the armature 60 is in contact with the point 14. In the event of failure of the normal alternating current through the line A, the armature 18 will drop into contact with the point 16, whereupon the battery D will energize the lamp whenever the armature 60 is in contact with the point 14, that is, whenever a train is approaching.

Vhile I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as possible in view of the prior art.

hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Apparatus of the character described comprising; a normal electric circuit; a signaling device in series with said circuit; a reserve circuit having a source of electric energy therein, said signaling device also being in series with said reserve circuit; a train approach switch in said reserve circuit, normally open; means operated by the approach of a train for closing said train approach switch; a current failure switch in said reserve circuit, normally open; and means operated by failure of the normal current for closing said current failure switch.

2. Apparatus of the character described comprising; a normal electric circuit; a signaling device in series with said circuit; a reserve circuit having a source of electric energy therein, said signaling device also being in series with said reserve circuit; a train approach switch in series with said reserve circuit and also in series with the normal circuit, said train approach switch being normally open; means operated by the approach of a train for closing said train approach switch; a current failure switch in said reserve circuit, normally open; and means operated by failure of the normal current for closing said current failure switch.

3. Apparatus of the character described comprising; a normal alternating current electric circuit; a signaling device in series with said circuit; a reserve circuit having a source of electric energy therein, said signaling device also being in series with said reserve circuit; a train approach switch in said reserve circuit, normally open; means operated by the approach of a train for closing said train approach switch; a current failure switch in said reserve circuit, normally open; and means operated by failure of the normal alternating current for closing said current failure switch. a

4. Apparatus of the character described comprising; a normal alternating current circuit; a signaling device in series with said circuit; a reserve circuit having a source of electric energy therein, said signaling device also being in series wtih said reserve circuit; a train approach switch in series with said reserve circuit and also in series with the normal alternating current circuit, said train approach switch being normally open; means operated by the approach of a train for closing said train approach switch; a current failure switch in said reserve circuit, normally open; and means operated by failure of the normal alternating current for closing said current failure switch.

5. Apparatus of the character described comprising; anormal electric circuit; a signaling device in series with said circuit; a reserve circuithaving a source of electric energy therein, said signaling device also being in series with said reserve circuit; a train approach switch in said reserve circuit, normally open; means operated by the approach of a train for closing said train ap proach switch; a current failure switch in said reserve circuit, normally open; and means operated by failure of the normal current for closing said current failure switch, said means comprising a current actuated device in shunt across the normal circuit.

6. Apparatus of the character described comprising; a normal alternating current electric circuit; a signaling device in series with said circuit; a reserve circuit having a source of electric energy therein, said signaling device also being in series with said reserve circuit; a train approach switch in said reserve circuit, normally open; means operated by the approach of a train for closing said train approach switch; a current failure switch in said reserve circuit, normally open; and means operated by failure of the normal alternating current for closing said current failure switch, said means comprising a current actuated device in shunt across the normal alternating cur- 10 rent circuit.

Witness my hand and seal this 5th day of May, A. D. 1925.

SAMUEL MISKELLY. [1,. s.] 

